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Chapter 45 - Chinese New Year's Eve

It wasn’t just Song Xiao, but other people also found the movie ‘Profound Theory’ incomprehensible.

“The scene transitions are very confusing. One second, they’re still on the altar, but the next second, they’re somehow at the imperial palace?”

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“The costumes are also hideous. What ‘number one beauty in the country’ – looking like that, the men in the movie are also really blind.”

“LS, you don’t understand. Everyone in the film has really ugly costumes; each and every one of them looks like a refugee. If the female lead just wears ordinary clothes, isn’t she then the number one beauty in the country?”

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

The plot was baffling, the scene transitions were unnatural, the dialogue was ridiculous, and even the film emperor and empress who were initially used to attract box office numbers were dressed hideously. The fans continuously expressed that their idols were damaged by this film. To preserve the image of their idol in their hearts, they definitely weren’t going to watch it.

The reviews online all gave ‘Profound Theory’ very low ratings. It was classified as a commercial film and a bad movie, and the box office was an atrocious

green

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By the second week, everyone knew what the film was like. Those who followed film reviews and news wouldn’t watch it, and those who had watched it before generally wouldn’t watch it a second time. As a result, in the second week, the box office began to look dismal.

When Song Zicheng saw the data sent over by the financial department, he scowled fiercely and demanded that the public relations department think of a way to promote this film. Consequently, Xinghai Entertainment bribed a few film critics and began to write glowing reviews and press releases.

What ‘unprecedented masterpiece’, what ‘scenes were a grand visual feast’. When the press release was published, it really did attract some viewers, but when they left the cinemas, they started curse again.

Director Liang Xinmu was interviewed by the media when the film was released.

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“Director Liang, many viewers say that they can’t understand ‘Profound Theory’, that the plot is hollow and incomprehensible. Do you have anything you wish to say about that?” A lot of the media reporters sat below the dais, and they all pricked their ears to listen to Liang Xinmu’s response.

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As a famous director in China, Liang Xinmu still had a certain status. The news media wouldn’t casually pass their microphones to him as they would with actors; they all sat in a well-behaved manner at the front.

Liang Xinmu was in his forties and a little overweight. Sitting behind the long table, he tugged at the flat cap on his head with a face full of arrogance. “This film is packed with a lot of advanced film awareness, and the content is also very abstract. All of you can’t understand it now because you have yet to attain this film awareness.”

In other words:

All of you don’t understand because your level is too low.

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When these words were released, the Internet was instantly full of cursing.

“Not understanding means our level is too low. As it turns out, you don’t make movies for the audience to watch?”

“Fine, our level is too low and

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Song Zicheng was nearly angered to death, and called Liang Xinmu to scold him. “Over here, we’re promoting it as a commercial movie, while over there you’re saying that normal people can’t understand it. You don’t want the box office to turn around, is that it?”

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A commercial movie had to be easy to understand. If it was too highbrow, then forget about making a profit. Because Liang Xinmu was notoriously stubborn, the investors weren’t allowed to criticize or give directives. Song Zicheng had only gone to take a look twice while the movie was being filmed; he didn’t know exactly what it was like, and never imagined it would be this sort of rotten film with beautiful scenes but a complete mess of a plot.

When the year-end financial report came out, Song Zicheng’s complexion was even uglier. Four hundred million had been invested into ‘Profound Theory’, but the box office only recouped 1.2 hundred million, which wasn’t even half of the investment. It was going to be another financial loss this year, which would also affect next year’s operations. All their capital had been sunk into this, and with no way of getting it back, it would be hard to carry out new projects.

“Loan

.” Song Zicheng rubbed the space between his eyebrows. To revive the company, they could only take out a loan to carry out new projects. They had already made losses two years in a row; if they continued to be in the red next year, they would be delisted or kicked down to the Third Board to perish on their own.

At the year-end general shareholders meeting, there weren’t any profit dividends to be given out. The shareholders all expressed their dissatisfaction, and requested that the CEO be replaced.

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“Surely it is too much for the chairman of the board to take on the role of

CEO

“We’ll definitely make a profit next year. We’re already optimistic about a few projects, and we guarantee that they’ll bring in steady profit and won’t make any losses.” Song Zicheng took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

In a blink of an eye, it was Chinese New Year. Song Zicheng was a filial son; no matter how busy he was during the celebration, he still had to return to his parents’ place. Aunt Chen returned to her hometown to celebrate, so only the father and son pair were at home. The elder stared at the younger, both feeling bored. Thus, they packed their luggage and returned to their hometown earlier.

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It was Song Xiao’s first time ever on a plane, and he was a little nervous, so he gave Yu Tang a call once he sat down.

“Fasten your seatbelt properly; if you don’t know how, let your dad fasten it for you.” It was rare for Yu Tang to talk this much. “Before the plane takes off, you have to turn off your phone; you know how to turn it off, right? It’s that grey button on the top. If your ears hurt, chew a piece of gum, but you can’t swallow it…”

Listening to Yu Tang being so talkative on the phone, Song Xiao suddenly didn’t feel nervous anymore. “I’ll be back on the

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Yu Tang, who was speaking, abruptly stopped. “…Mm.”

Their hometown was further up north than A city. When they got off the plane, it was snowing lightly. Grandpa Xiao drove a car over to pick them up. At his age, he still drove a jeep with a high chassis, and he stopped in front of them with a whoosh.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

“Get in.” Grandpa rolled down the window and jerked his chin at the two of them.

Song Xiao looked at his old but vigorous grandpa, and his eyes couldn’t help curving. Because of the substandard medicine in ancient times,

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couldn’t be cured when he fell ill, so he left early. Given the developments in modern medicine, people were living longer in general, so grandfather could probably live to a hundred.

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Grandfather had designed his house himself. Since Song Zicheng was willing to spend the money, it was built like a small villa. Two large, vermillion red doors were set into the tall courtyard walls. When they pushed open the doors, there was a resonant voice of welcome.

“You’re back! You’re back!” The voice sounded strange. Song Xiao lifted his head to look, and saw a pitch black

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“What’re you so noisy for?” An elderly lady dressed in a cotton-padded jacket walked out from the kitchen and admonished the bird. Turning her head to see the three men who just walked in, she promptly smiled until her face was full of wrinkles. “Xiaoxiao

, come and let grandma have a look at you!”

When Song Xiao saw his paternal grandmother, he was incredibly surprised and delighted. In his last life, grandmother left earlier than grandfather, and he couldn’t even remember her clearly. Immediately throwing down his luggage, he walked over to his grandma and kowtowed. “Grandma, happy new year!”

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“Good, good.” Grandma Song was thrilled, and hurriedly took out a red packet from her pants and stuffed it into Song Xiao’s hands. “You came back for the New Year so early. Fortunately, grandma was prepared.”

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With that, Grandma Song turned to the house and yelled, “Old Qu, your daughter’s son is back; you still don’t want to come out and have a look?”

When Song Zicheng heard this, his body instantly froze as he gave Grandpa Song a hollow look. “That… father-in-law is also here?”

“

, Old Song celebrating Chinese New Year on his own is boring, so your mom and I brought him over. In any case, he doesn’t live too far away, and can come over every day to eat.” Grandpa Song happily pulled his son into the house, completely missing his son’s tension.

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Pushing open the living room door, they saw an old man with white hair and a white beard sitting on the sofa with a dignified air. He was watching a Chinese opera on TV, and a black cat was sleeping on his lap, its four legs in the air. Hearing the door open, the old man turned to look at the people who came in. At first glance, he saw Song Xiao, who was wearing a blue sports down jacket. Just as he smiled slightly, he spotted Song Zicheng behind Song Xiao, and his expression immediately turned sour.

“Old Song, you didn’t say they would be back today!” Grandfather Qu threw the cat onto the sofa and stood up. He snorted coldly, then turned to walk out.

“Dad, happy new year.” Kicked by his own father, Song ZIchenge hurriedly stepped forward to greet his father-in-law.

“I can’t afford to be your dad. It’s late, this old man should go back.” With both hands behind him, grandpa walked out.

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“Grandpa…” Song Xiao stepped forward to give his greetings.

“Xiaoxiao

,” When Old Qu saw his grandson, he still couldn’t help reaching out to stroke his head, “This afternoon, come over to grandpa’s place. Grandpa will make you some fried doughnuts.”

“Old Qu

, it’s almost time for a meal; you can’t leave, no matter what you say.” Grandpa Song reached out and grabbed him. “It’s already been so many years, can we not bring up things from the past? It’s not easy for Xiaoxiao to come back for a visit. Before the new year, he hit his head and couldn’t remember anything. If you leave now, what’ll we do if the child gets scared?”

Grandpa Song and Grandpa Qu had been old mates for many years. The two families being joined in marriage was also what these parents wanted, but who knew that this Qiu Mingyan matter would happen, and Song Xiao’s mother would die early? Grandpa Qu only had this daughter, so no matter what was said, he would never forgive Song Zicheng. After trying to reason with him for a long time, grandpa still insisted on leaving. Song Xiao and Grandpa Song went out to send him off, leaving Song Zicheng standing awkwardly in the courtyard.

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“You

, on the second day of the New Year, take Xiaoxiao to Old Qu’s house for a day.” Looking at her son’s appearance, Grandma Song jabbed his head with her finger.

After lunch, Song Xiao really went to Grandpa Qu’s home. Actually, it was just a street away, and wasn’t far.

There was a tall Chinese parasol tree in the lonely yard, with a yellow, local dog tied to it underneath. Seeing Song Xiao enter, it barked fiercely twice.

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“

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Unlike Grandpa Song’s house with its extravagant decorations, this house was very simple and unadorned. In the living room, a was exhibited, and a

desk for calligraphy

“Wait a moment, when grandpa is done with this piece of calligraphy, I’ll fry some doughnuts for you.” Old Qu smiled as he walked behind the desk, raising his brush to write.

What he was writing was a

pair of scrolls

Song Xiao looked at this scene and had an indescribable sense of familiarity, as if he had happened upon this somewhere. His chest suddenly felt stifled, and he said something to his grandpa, then went to the courtyard for some fresh air.

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The leaves on the Chinese parasol tree in the courtyard had already fallen, and it stood on the snowy grounds, bare. The big yellow dog had shrunk into its own embrace, bored as it watched snowflakes melt on its nose.

“Baby, come make a snowman with mommy.”

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“Baby, look. The leaves on the big tree have fallen again, go out with mommy and gather the leaves, okay?”

Before his eyes, a woman wearing a red sweater emerged, speaking to the child under the tree. But the child didn’t respond, only crouching at the tree roots by himself, mechanically digging out the rocks on the ground.

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Song Xiao could see the woman’s appearance very clearly. He wanted to respond to her, but he couldn’t speak out.

“Xiaoxiao! Xiaoxiao!” Song Zicheng’s anxious voice sounded through his ears.

Song Xiao opened his eyes and discovered himself lying in the hospital, encircled by all his grandparents and his father.

“I’m- What happened?” Song Xiao blinked and sat up.

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“You suddenly fainted in the courtyard. It really frightened your grandpa.” Grandma held his hand as she talked endlessly. Upon seeing his grandson pass out, Old Qu, who had always been proud, called Song Zicheng for the first time.